


Left Behind

by Azuremosquito



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Decisions, Demons, Difficult Decisions, During Canon, Implied/Referenced Character Death, In the Fade, M/M, Mild Gore, Monsters, Multi, Sacrifice, The Fade, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 02:57:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20463893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuremosquito/pseuds/Azuremosquito
Summary: After they fall through the rift at Adamant, the Inquisitor and his companions have to fight their way out and a difficult decision is made.





	Left Behind

Shae would never forget the sound as long as he lived.

The clicking of pincers, ceaseless tapping of thousands of clawed feet. It burrowed inside his brain, making him itch, writhing beneath his skin until he wanted to scream. The skittering creatures chasing them appeared as horrific, disjointed spiders to his eyes, swarming over craggy hillocks and rocks by the hundreds. He dared not wonder what the demons would look like to his companions; their white-rimmed eyes as they ran with him spoke volumes as it was.

The air of the Fade was thick and heavy, choking their lungs. Green air swirled like sludge and impeded their view, dragging at their feet. Dorian tripped over something unseen and stumbled, arms windmilling. Shae’s heart lodged in his throat at the thought of Dorian going down, those creatures surging over him, tearing him to pieces-

Hawke caught Dorian’s arm and steadied him, and they were running again, the rogue giving only a breathless nod to the mage. None of them had breath to spare for talking. There were too many to fight; all that was left them was to run. Run, and for the Maker’s sake, don’t stop.

All the while, disembodied screams assaulted them without need for breath. Tormented souls trapped in anguish, or so it seemed to Shae’s frayed nerves. Cole was babbling to himself but Shae blocked the sound out. The spirit’s panic was palpable and it did nothing to reassure the Inquisitor. Perhaps the demon’s words were true and it did feed off people’s fears. He tried not to think about that. He had to focus on getting everyone out of here, back to the real world. If he gave in to fear, they were all lost.

The path opened up ahead and they put on a burst of speed. At least in the open, they stood a better chance of outrunning the demons behind them. The narrow, twisting paths were too likely to trip them.

“The Rift!” Garrett shouted. “We’re almost there!”

The ground trembled beneath them and that was when Shae heard it. The silence. The screams, the clacking pincers, all had ceased the instant they cleared the path.

“ _ Fenhedis _ !” Shae swore. They’d been funneled here and run headfirst into a trap.

The sickly green glow of the Rift was not what caught the Inquisitor’s eye when he lifted his head. No, that sight might as well have been paradise for all its unattainable beauty. Instead, his gaze fixed with horror on the figure floating toward them.

Skinny body cloaked in tattered rags, evil claws extending from too-long fingers. Sprouting from its back like macabre wings were segmented spider limbs, twitching and curling forward. Where its head should have been instead resided a strange carapace with severed tentacles in place of its mouth.

And Shae wished that had been the worst part.

Towering beyond the figure was a gargantuan spider so large it eclipsed the ruined sky of the Fade, its fangs dripping with a sickly, viscous fluid. Too many eyes focused on them, massive limbs digging into the ground as it pulled its weight up onto the ledge and caused the ground to tremble again. A foul wind whipped around them, throwing stinging grit into their eyes and turning their hair into thousands of tiny lashes. Shae’s mind reeled in horror, unable to truly comprehend what he was seeing. The terrified gasps of his companions told him he was not the only one. Truly a being worthy of being called “Nightmare.”

They were going to die.

The acceptance was oddly calming and enabled Shae to think with greater clarity. How could they hope to fight such a creature? The best they could hope for was to wound it. Perhaps it could be distracted and he could buy his companions enough time to make it through the rift.

But… he was the only one who could close the rifts. If anyone were to survive, it would have to be him, no matter how painful that realization was. Though he would sacrifice his own life for any of his companions with little hesitation, the entire  _ world  _ depended on his survival. If he fell now, many more would be lost than this small handful of lives.

The skinny, floating creature screamed, a sound that tore through Shae’s mind and turned his blood to ice. For some reason, the larger monster was holding back, watching, waiting. Shae didn’t intend on waiting to find out for what.

Reaching for his staff, he was halted by a small, glowing hand and the spirit that had earlier claimed to be Divine Justinia reappeared. “If you would, please tell Leliana, ‘I’m sorry I failed you, too.’”

Before any of them could react, the shining figure flew straight at the pair of demons, golden arcs of electricity branching off of her and zapping the monsters. The smaller one shrieked again and the massive spider too voiced its displeasure. There was a flash of light so brilliant that Shae and his companions were forced to avert their eyes, the demons howling in agony. A thunderous detonation caused the ground to shake again and then all fell silent.

Shielding his eyes as the wind settled, Shae cautiously lifted his head and found no sign of the nightmare demon. The lesser demon had been knocked to the ground and was pushing itself upright on spindly, shaking limbs. It let out a hoarse scream of challenge.

“Now!” Shae shouted, swinging his staff over his shoulder and slamming it into the ground. A bolt of electricity hammered into the demon, stunning it just long enough for Alistair and Cassandra to draw their weapons and charge in. Cole and Hawke raced after them, daggers flashing in the eerie light.

Dorian threw up a shimmering barrier that enveloped their entire party and the two mages began to fire off spells from a distance, their backs to one another. The spirit of the Divine had sacrificed itself to give them a chance. Perhaps they might make it out after all. They had to hurry. Shae had no doubt the Nightmare would return, and this time it would be pissed.

Their attacks hammered into the creature, the two warriors harrying it from opposite sides, keeping it confused. Every time it turned to face one, the other would move in, slicing into its back with the aid of the rogues. The mages focused more on keeping their companions shielded from the worst of the blows than they did on assault.

As they wore the creature down with steady efficiency, it seemed as though they were going to be just fine. So long as they could cut it down and make it through the Rift before the Nightmare returned. Shae began to allow himself to hope.

But his optimism was premature.

The creature launched itself forward in a motion too fast to follow, freeing itself from the melee fighters that had it cornered, right at the two mages. Shae yelled in fright and anger as the thing closed on them, wicked claws arcing toward them. He had just cast another barrier on the group of fighters, leaving himself and Dorian vulnerable.

Dorian shouted and slammed the tip of his staff right into the creature’s face and it reeled back with an angry shriek. The mages split off to either side and ran while it was stunned, giving the warriors time to close in again. Cassandra shouted and slammed her shield into its back, drawing its attention away from them.

Shae’s heart was thundering against his ribs as he unleashed a barrage of arcane projectiles. That had been far too close. He spared a glance to ensure Dorian had taken no harm, then focused once more on cutting the creature down.

All at once, the creature threw back its head with another piercing scream and green light flickered all around it, spiraling outward in a hundred tiny explosions. As the sparks fell, more of the smaller fear demons materialized, scattering and heading for whomever was closest. Reacting instinctively, Shae slammed his staff down again, chain lightning striking the demon they had been fighting and arcing outward to stun the myriad smaller creatures.

The stun lasted just long enough for their little group to regain their wits and launch a coordinated attack. Alistair and Cassandra shouted to get the creatures’ attention and the rogues darted in and out among the spider beasts, slicing limbs to slow them down. A few made it past these defenses, closing on the mages.

Shae and Dorian moved toward one another, closing ranks. When the demons were almost upon them, Shae touched his hand to his brow, drawing energy in a tight, condensed ball and then unleashed it outward, fueling it with all of his rage and frustration. The spell flung several spiders away from them and stunned the rest, allowing the mages time to tear them down.

All the while, the lesser humanoid demon remained unmoving, its entire body twitching and vibrating as if its concentration alone held the spiders in existence. With the creatures temporarily ignoring him, Shae cast another barrier over his companions and then turned his staff on the humanoid monster. He let fly bolt after bolt, lacking the strength for any spell of substance beyond maintaining a protective shield around his friends. Beside him, Dorian was flagging as well, sweat marring his handsome brow as he swung his staff around and physically knocked a spider away from Shae. Finally cutting down the last of the vicious little beasts, the others joined Shae’s assault on the remaining demon as it came to life with another curdling shriek.

They were all tiring. Hawke received a deep slice across his abdomen from one of those miserable claws when he failed to dodge aside in time. Alistair stumbled and nearly got his head taken off save for Cassandra’s timely lunge with her shield, deflecting the slashing limb and slamming the sturdy metal into the creature’s face.

They couldn’t keep on like this. How much more could this thing take? And how long before the Nightmare returned? Had the spirit of the Divine managed to actually kill the thing? Shae did not dare hope for that. Hope was not something in great supply here in the Fade.

And then, the unbelievable happened. Alistair’s sword flashed past slashing claws, sliced through one of the spidery limbs, and took the creature’s head clean off. For a moment, everything went completely still, even the corpse not realizing it was dead, and then it slumped to its knees and toppled onto its side.

The companions stared at one another in disbelief, unable to comprehend the fight was truly over. Gore covered them all from head to toe, chests rising and falling with ragged breathing. Garrett started to laugh, wheezing with exhaustion and sheer amazement that he yet lived.

The ground shook.

Shae’s eyes went wide and he snapped into motion, shoving Dorian toward the Rift. “Get moving! All of you! Before it comes back!”  _ No, no, no, no! Not now! _ “Go!”

He pushed Cole between the shoulderblades but the spirit needed little urging. Cassandra followed after, all but shepherding the others before her. Just before stepping through, Dorian looked back, anguish written in every line of his face. Shae pretended not to see, though it tore at his heart, and Cassandra pushed the Tevinter through the Rift a second later.

Shae, Hawke, and Alistair were running behind them when the ground shook again and the Nightmare reared above them. The three men stumbled to a halt.  _ No _ , Shae thought. _ I’m sorry, Dorian. _

“How do we get by?” Alistair stared grimly at the monster looming ahead, adjusting his grip on his shield.

“Go. I’ll cover you.” Garrett reached for his blades, his jaw set.

“No!” Alistair reached out and caught Garrett’s arm, shaking his head. “You were right. The Wardens caused this mess. A warden must-”

“A warden must help them rebuild,” Garrett interrupted, tawny eyes softening as he stared at his friend. “That’s your job.” Looking up at the monster, his voice grew hard once more. “Corypheus is mine.”

The two men looked at Shae and the agony of indecision paralyzed the Inquisitor. Someone had to stay and distract the beast to give the others a chance. It couldn’t be him else the entire world would fall to the Breach and Corypheus. Why did he have to make the decision here? Hawke, Hawke was his  _ friend _ . They had grown close during the Champion’s stay at Skyhold, and Shae counted Garrett among his closest confidants.

On the other hand, the Wardens would be in shambles after Clarel’s disaster and he needed their help. Aside from Corypheus, darkspawn were popping up all over southern Thedas and no one was better equipped to fight them than the Wardens. They were powerful warriors, and greatly respected. Aside from that, they needed to clean up their own mess.

Shae felt his heart wrench in two, grief tightening his throat. “Hawke…”

Uncertainty fled Garrett’s eyes, determination and acceptance filling its place. “Say goodbye to Varric for me,” he said, quietly. He shoved the two men toward the Rift and then took a running leap at the Nightmare creature, its attention fixating on the rogue.

Shae stared after Hawke, agony tearing at him. Every instinct screamed this was wrong. He should stay and fight, not sacrifice another to die for him.  _ He  _ should stay behind and let the others live.

Alistair caught Shae around the bicep and the mage let out a scream of impotent rage, directed at Fear. The Warden effortlessly dragged the Inquisitor along behind him as he barrelled forward. Shae watched, unable to look away, as Garrett engaged the demon, yells and shrieks from the massive spider drowning out all else as its bulk blocked the human from view.

Then his vision rippled with green light as Alistair hauled him bodily through the Rift and he heard one last thing.

_ “I’m sorry, Anders.”  _


End file.
